RDU On the Rise: Welcome to Dreamville
Happy Friday from Raleigh. I’m Tyler Dukes, your host for this week’s edition of RDU On the Rise.
I spent most of last weekend reporting on the story of the attempted auction of a purported 600-year-old Native American skull at an antique gallery just west of the Triangle, so I’m looking forward to a bit of a break.
Before that happens though, let’s recap what you should know about this week — and what’s coming up.
Biden in the Bull City
President Joe Biden flew into Raleigh-Durham International Airport Tuesday for a stop at Wolfspeed, a chip manufacturer that some long-time Triangle residents may remember as the former LED lighting company Cree.
“Hell of a lot more than light bulbs now,” Biden said.
My colleague Brian Gordon has a much deeper dive on Wolfspeed, which is planning a significant expansion in Chatham County. It’s come a long way since it was created on the campus of North Carolina State University (on a related note, I highly recommended signing up for Brian’s Triangle Tech newsletter, Open Source).
Biden was in town to tout U.S. manufacturers, especially those that can help satisfy the intense global appetite for semiconductors. But he also addressed yet another mass shooting, this time at a private Christian school in Nashville.
Three cheers for Brickie!
This is just one reporter’s opinion, but I think readers made the right choice this month when they named Raleigh’s Brickhouse as the Triangle’s best local sports bar.
The place has an excellent vibe, affordable beer and plenty of screens. And I’ll be honest with you here: I’ve had dreams about chowing down on the wing dip there.
I’m even OK with my beloved Players Retreat not making the final cut (trust me, PR competes in plenty of other categories, from “best scotch collection” to “most excellent chef’s specials”).
I love that Brickhouse plays host to a lot of expatriate fans — the Buckeyes and Patriots among them — but maintains a deep and abiding loyalty to my own alma mater, N.C. State. That’s not lost on alum and owner Steve Dickens, who my colleague Drew Jackson asked what makes the best moments at his bar.
“Any game against Carolina where we win,” he said.
Hear, hear, Steve. Hear, hear.
Who’s headed to Dreamville?
Alas, I’m not cool enough. But if you were one of the lucky ones to snag tickets to the Dreamville Music Festival before the event largely sold out, check out Kristen Johnson’s ultimate guide to the festival kicking off the Saturday at Dix Park in Raleigh. We’re keeping an eye on the weather forecast for you too.
The festival is the brainchild of native North Carolinian hip-hop artist J. Cole, and features scores of great headliners that even lame elder millennials like me know.
But do not despair if you couldn’t get tickets.
There will be a livestream on Twitch’s Amazon Music channel and on Prime Video. And N&O staffers will be on the ground to give you an inside view through TikTok and Instagram.
If you’re going, I want to know what you think of the limited-edition Dreamsicle Festival brew from R&D Brewing.
I’ll pass, though, on the special Dreamville Crocs.
More can’t-miss reads
From Martha Quillin: The men of the 135th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment finally got recognition, 158 years after their service.
From Teddy Rosenbluth: How a national rule change on transplants led to an “exodus of organs” from North Carolina
From Virginia Bridges: What Durham residents have to say about more aggressive policing in their neighborhood
From Avi Bajpai: The repeal of the state’s permit requirement for buying handguns becomes the legislature’s first veto override since 2018.
From Drew Jackson: It’s the Durham Bulls’ home opener Friday night. And a night at the stadium means a range of new food options.
From Jessica Banov: When cows, social media and bus schedules collide, hilarity ensues
Also, here’s a quick programming note from last week’s author, Laura Brache: Thank you, RDU On the Rise reader Carolyn Ferrell of Chapel Hill, for noting I didn’t specify which UNC team didn’t make the NCAA tournament in last week’s newsletter. The women’s team actually made it to the second round. We appreciate her readership and advocacy for women’s sports.
Until we meet again...
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend and stay tuned for next Friday, when my colleague Sara Pequeño takes the reins. Be sure to send all complaints about my digs at UNC to her.
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